Democracy Wire

The Los Angeles City Council took the final step today with a 10-1 vote to put the Common Cause and CALPIRG supported measure on the ballot. This means Los Angeles City Voters will see this question on the ballot in May: Shall the Voters adopt a resolution that there should be limits on political campaign spending and that corporations should not have the constitutional rights of human beings and instruct Los Angeles elected officials and area legislative representatives to promote that policy through amendments to the United States Constitution?

This week Mayor Kasim Reed reportedly indicated to members of the Atlanta City Council that Arthur Blank implied that the Atlanta Falcons might consider a move to Los Angeles. If Arthur Blank or the Falcons are using a whispered threat … Continue reading →

How wonderful it would be for Georgia';s ethics commission to be able to write rules again. It would be a marvelous thing for lobbyists to lose their ability to give unlimited gifts to government officials in this state. The two … Continue reading →

"I expect dozens of cities will now give voters a chance to speak out against the false premise that corporations are people and that unlimited campaign spending is free speech," said Derek Cressman, director of Common Cause's Campaign to Reverse Citizens United. As per City Charter for the passage of ordinances, since the ordinance did not receive 12 unanimous votes "‘ only 9 on its first reading, this ordinance will be held over for one week, to be placed on the agenda for Tuesday, February 5, 2013. On February 5, eight votes will be required for approval by the City Council to have the initiative placed on the May ballot.